Control and warning circuit



Feb. 13, 1940. H. K. JOHNSON 2,190,428

v CONTROL AND WARNING CIRCUIT I Filed March 10, 1957 fyla /i r6111 AttO? 72%5 Patented Feb. '13.

UNITED. STATE s PATENT oF Ice ZCiaims. (oi. 171-311) This invention relates to a-wiring circuit and to an illuminating device and a control and warning signal operated by said circuit.

It has for one object to provide in aunitary 5 device means for indicating the operation-of a light'and for indicating temperature variation beyond a critical point.

Another object is to provide in a unitary dc vice a warning means for indicating the increase temperature beyond a critical point in a -reirige'ratedspace and for indicating the condition of a lighting means in an adjacent space or,

' device. I

Other objects will appear from time to time 15 in thespeciflcation and claims.

The invention is illustrated more or less diav grammatically in the accompanying drawin wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view with parts broken 50 away and parts in section;

Figure 2 is a schematic wiring diagram of the circuit of the apparatus indicated in Figure 1.

Like parts are designated by like characters throughout the specification and drawing.

18 The numeral 1 indicates generally a cooler of the sort used in soda fountains. which may: con taln in one compartment a refrigerated space for ice cream cans or other containers and which has associated with it a compartment, preferably 8) also cooled, in which miscellaneous material, such as food, bottles and the like, iskept for storage and cooling. In the particular form illustrated herewith 2 is a cavity or space situated within the cooler or counter and arranged to;receive an 8 ice cream can or other similar container holding material which is to be held below a predetermined temperature in order to bekept in a proper condition for serving and use. Only one such space is shown although'a plurality may be 0 used. .Means are provided for maintaining this space at the proper temperature. 'A cover '3, of

any desired type, is used to cover thisspace. l

and l are storage compartments. As'sh'own herewith they are'in efiect one compartment. Suit- 4| able closures 6 and l are provided and a dividing member 8' extends across the top of the compartment l, and covers rest partly on it. .The details of the cover construction form no essential part of the present invention and almost any so desired covering means may be used.

Formed as a part of the cooler or counter, or

else mounted upon and associated with it, is a unit or section indicated generally by the numeral 8. This preferably contains suitable spaces for a 55 plurality of syrup containers and pumps. Ordinarily for each syrup container there is'a cover" plate 10 and a pump unit ll, including among other structural features a pump handle or plunger lland-a'spout Hi. The details of construction of'the syrup containersjand pumps form 5 no essential part or the'presen't invention and are illustratedmerely as showing one suitable location for the warning and indicating lights A space H is preferably provided at the end of a bank of syrup pumps and directly upon this space iii or upon a cover plate I5 is mounted a'switch and lighting base l6. j

The several units which form part of the mechanism and are controlled by the circuit [of I the present invention will now be described. ll is a cold control or thermostat. As shown it is a type now generally sold and its particular details are'not an essential part oi the present invention. It includes generally a housing within which means are provided in response to tem eo perature variations for operating a switch. A- bulb I8 is situated in the ice cream storage or dispensing compartment 2 and is connected by a tube IS with the housing of the cold control as sembly IT. A switchjll is mounted within the cold control assembly and is moved to the off and they on positions in response to pressure variations within the housing of'the member H, which pressure variation results from temperature variations in g the compartment 2. Thus when the temperature increases above a prede t'ermined point in the compartment 2, pressure in the bulb l8 increases and this is effective through the tube l8 upon a structure mounted within the housing of the member l1 and operates the switch to close it and complete a circuit the details of which will be described below. When the temperature'is again brought down below the predetermined point, the pressure in the'bulb i8 is reduced and the mechanism in the housing I140 operates to open the switch 20.

2| is a tell-tale light in circuit with the switch When the switch is closed so that current passes through the circuit, the light is energized and serves thus as a visual warning to'an operator that the temperature in the compartment 2 has risen above the predetermined point and he can then take such steps as are necessary'to correct this.

While a number, of circuits for connecting the mechanism just described may be used,'the one shown is a convenient one. A junction box 22 may be provided on the side or on any other suitable location on the counter or cooler assembly. Current is supplied to the junction box by wires 23 and 24. A wire 25 is connected to the junction box and to the wire 23 and passes as shown to one pole 26 of a socket for the light 2|.

From the other pole 27- of the light socket a wire 28 passes to one pole 23. of the switch 20. From the other pole 30 of the switch 23 a wire 3| passes to the junction box and is connected to the wire A light 32 is mounted within the compartment '4, 5 and may have a shield or reflector 33. The light 32 .is connected in series with a warning light 34 mounted on the member i6. Preferably 3 it is of a color diiierent from that of the light 2|.

For example, the light 2| may be red and the light 34 green. A switch 35 is also mounted on the member 16 and controls the circuit for the illuminating light 32 and the control or telltale light 34. Current is supplied to one pole of the socket for the light 34 by a wire 4! which is connected to the wire 25. From the other pole of the socket v for the light 34 a wire 36 is connected to one pole of the socket of light 32. The opposite pole of the socket of the light 32 is connected by wire 3'! to one pole 38 of the switch 35. To the opposite pole 39 of the switch 33 is connected a wire 40 which is itself at its other end in circuit with 1 the wires 3| and 24. Thus current is supplied to the lamps32 and 34 in series when the switch 35 is closed to complete the circuit and both will be illuminated. The light 32 being in a compartment which may be entirely closed, is not normally'visible but the light 34, is exposed, as shown particularly in Figure 1, and being in series with the light 32, functions as a control orindicating light. -If it is burning, the illuminating light 32 is also burning but if .the latter goes out, then the telltale light 34 also goes out and the operator has warning of this fact and can correct the 1 so widely varied. As shown the parts are positioned in convenient locations. is not limited to these particular locations.

In general. the use and operation of the device and circuit are as follows: Some form of cooling or refrigerating mechanism is associated with the apparatus. The thermostatic elements are set to maintain a temperature which remains constantly below a predetermined upper limit. The details of the particular cooling or refrigerating mechanism form no essential part of the present invention which may be associated with any desired refrigerating means.

Assuming that the device is complete and the refrigerating means are operating, material such as ice cream may be kept in suitable containersin the compartment 2. Other material, such as bottled or otherwise contained drinks and food items, are placed in the compartment 4, 5. So long as the temperature remains below the predetermined limit the thermostatic device does The invention not operate to complete a circuit and the telltale light 2i is not energized. When the switch 35 is'in the proper position'the circuit which illuminates the light 32 andthe warning light 34 is energized so that both of these lights are il- I iuminated. Should the light 32, for example,

burn out and should this circuit otherwise become brokenQth'e warning light 34 will go outv 7 and an operator stationed or working near the device will see this and take the necessary steps to restore the'circuit to cause reillumination of the light 32.

Should the temperature in'the compartment 2 for any reasonat allrise above the predetermined minimum temperature, the pressure in the bulb l8 will be sufliciently increased to operate the thermostatic device in the housing [1. The switch20 will be'moved to complete the circult and the warning or telltale light 2| will be illuminated. The operator will see itar'ld will recognize that the cooling or refrigerating apparatus is. not functioning properly, or that it has stopped entirely, or that something else has occurred to permit the undesired high tempera? r 'ture in the compartment-'2.

He will then take the necessary steps to restorethe conditions necessary for proper cooling. The assembly and the circuitshown herewith thus serves as a control and an indicating means, showing an operator conditions both as to illumination and tempera"- turewithin the enclosed compartments and thus he can. at all times determine instantly by a.

and can determine whether or,.not he needs to crating conditions. I claim:-

1. In combinationin amaterial storage and V dispensing apparatus; a-storage assembly, a conglance: at the lights2| and 34 whether or notall parts of the apparatus are functioning properly 7 do anything to-restore and maintain proper op tainer in said asse'mblmmeans for cooling said.

container and a dispensing assembly, a plurality of dispensing devices in. said dispensing 'a'ssem-j bly, said dispensing devices including manually operable parts and being grouped together, a control panel remote from said storage'asscmbly, grouped with said dispensing devices and. 3 immediately adjacent to one of said manually operable parts and visible generally with. them,

an electric light on said control panel, a temperature responsive device associated with saidcontainer, an electrical circuit for said light and means actuated by said temperature responsivedevice and acting upon said electric circuit to affect said light upon the occurrence of unsatisfactory temperature conditions with said container, said electric light circuit being separate from said cooling means. v p 2. In combination in a refrigerated soda fountain, a. syrup dispensing'device including a manually operable means for causing the discharge of syrup,a warning light, electric means for energizing said lightand means, responsive to the temperature in. said soda fountain, to .aflect said light, said warning light being in position imme-' diately adjacent the manually operable means of said syrup dispensing device and in position to be closely approached by the hand of the operator when he discharges syrup.

HERMAN K. JOHNSON. 

